Chapter 2

When I looked up, I met Tiffany’s smug gaze.

She and I had been at odds since we were kids.

Being around the same age, we were always compared. I was a straight-A student, always in the top three of my class, while she consistently scraped by, ending up in the worst schools. She always felt she couldn't measure up to me, and she was desperate to catch up.

The constant comparisons had driven her crazy; she started seeing me as her sole rival.

Two years ago, it was because I started a job at a financial company in Metropolis City that she quit her job back home and rushed there herself.

“That poster has nothing to do with me! The person in that photo isn’t me!”

I yelled with all my might, but no one listened. Not even my parents wanted to hear my explanation, they were too busy fawning over Tiffany with the other relatives.

“Tiffany, I heard your boyfriend is a big company CEO. He must be super rich, right?”

“We always knew Tiffany was capable and successful. She really is the most impressive girl in our family, unlike Ashley Miller, who’s just disgracing us.”

Tiffany basked in the attention, and her parents joined in, laughing heartily with their hands on their hips.

I got up and took my mom’s hand. “Mom, believe me, it’s all fake.”

But she forcefully pulled away from me, then turned and clasped Tiffany’s hand. “Tiffany, your cousin has gone down the wrong path. Please, give her a hand, help her find a decent job.”

Then, my mom yanked me hard. “Come here, get on your knees and apologize to your cousin, beg her to find you a job.”

Me?

Kneel to *her*?

“Aunt Karen, it’s not that I don’t want to, but Ashley graduated with a master’s degree. She wouldn’t look at any job that pays less than six figures. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have taken… shortcuts.”

“Tiffany Brooks, why are you spreading these lies everywhere?” I pushed past a few relatives and confronted her directly. “You’re spreading baseless rumors with a photo from who knows where. Don’t you know that’s illegal?”

Tiffany just gave me a helpless look.

She sighed. “Ashley, why are you still so stubborn? You did it, what’s the point in denying it?”

“To be honest, I have a lot more evidence. You know I’m in sales; I meet a lot of people. And it just so happens that some of them are your clients.”

“You really weren’t careful, letting people take photos while you were… working.”

“If those photos from your bed got out, who would ever marry you then?”

Tiffany’s words immediately turned the tide again. The judgmental elders started spewing insults at me, each one righteous in their anger.

But I wasn’t a lamb to be slaughtered. When someone reached out to push me again, I shoved them back. They hadn’t expected me to retaliate, stumbled, and hit a chair behind them, letting out a cry of pain.

That really stirred up a hornets’ nest.

Aunt Emily shrieked, “She’s out of control! Doing disgraceful things and now hitting people?!”

Uncle John pointed his finger at my nose, about to start yelling, but I cut him off.

“If you say you have evidence, then show it to me.” I looked at Tiffany. “But if you can’t, then it’s defamation, and I will pursue legal action.”

Tiffany clearly hadn’t expected me to say that; a hint of shock flashed across her face, but she quickly recovered with a smile. “Since you have no shame, then I’ll find them and let everyone judge for themselves.”

She turned and sat on the sofa, pulling out her phone and scrolling through it.

But after nearly ten minutes, she found nothing.

“Well? Can’t find it, can you?”

“Finding stuff takes time!”

Others also started defending Tiffany. I was about to snatch her phone when I was interrupted by a commotion at the door. My brother, Ben, rushed in, looking disheveled, and after a quick scan of the room, walked straight toward me.

I hadn’t even gotten out a "Ben" before his hand swung, connecting with my cheek.

“We paid for your education all these years, and you have no shame left?! Your damn promotional poster even got sent to my phone! Are you that desperate for money?!”

My cheek stung, but seeing the look on my brother’s face at that moment, I felt an even colder pang in my heart.

No one believed me.

“I’m saying it again, that has nothing to do with me. It’s all malicious photo manipulation and rumors.”

“Then are you going to claim this is fake too?” Tiffany sneered, walking over. “Who wants to see photos of Ashley Miller with her clients? But I’ll warn you, some of them are pretty explicit, so any elders who don’t want to see should look away.”

Filled with anger, I snatched the phone from her hand and immediately saw the offensive images on the screen.

A naked woman, her hair disheveled, lay on a bed. The background was blurry, but her face was clearly visible, and it was mine.

My great-aunt leaned over to look, then recoiled with a disgusted expression. “That’s disgusting, Ashley! You actually do that kind of stuff!”

“Enough!”

I roared, taking a step back.

But I quickly composed myself, showing no anger, only a relieved smile.

I pulled out my phone, slowly tapping the numbers on the dial pad, and after connecting, I spoke clearly for everyone to hear, “Hello, I’d like to report a crime.”

“Someone maliciously Photoshopped my image to spread explicit rumors about me. Could you please send officers over?”